Texas largest cancer centers not taking ACA patients

[FarCenter]

31. If it is a BCBS card for an ACA plan, it will identify the plan

The insurance companies offer plans through the exchange. The card will identify the insurance company, the name of the plan, and other information, such as copays required.

Each insurance company plan has a network of providers who will accept patients belonging to the plan. It is expected that relatively few doctors, clinics, hospitals, imaging providers, test labs, etc. will sign up to be ACA plan providers.

Even doctors in dark about new health plans

Insurance shoppers often can't choose plans that their doctors take part in or include doctors near them. And doctors may not be able to confirm they're in a plan when patients ask them.

More than a month after HealthCare.gov and 15 state-based exchanges opened for business, consumers and even physicians are finding it's isn't easy or even possible sometimes to find out which doctors and hospitals are in the plans' provider networks.

"Some states, they have it, and for some, it isn't available. It 's a big unknown for the patient," says Anders Gilberg, senior vice president of government affairs for the Medical Group Management Association, whose members manage doctors' practices. "It's very much up in the air."

That means insurance shoppers often can't choose plans that their doctors participate in — or that include doctors near them. It also means doctors may not be able to confirm they're in a plan when consumers ask them. While consumers may now occasionally find a doctor listed on their commerical insurance plan isn't accepting patients or is no longer on the network, at least they can reliably find provider lists and doctors at least know what plans they currently participate in.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/07/doctor-questions-affordable-care-act-plans/3453689/

So "you'll be able to keep your doctor" may well not be true.